Creative hubs are being established across Renfrewshire as the region bids to be “the place of choice for creative businesses”.
A new Business Development Fund is supporting up to 12 creative hubs to form over the next three years, each hub encouraging creative companies to share premises, collaborate and showcase their products.
Every hub will have a different creative focus and will receive subsidised premises costs as they offer a range of shared services including studio space, public workshops and networking opportunities.
Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “We want Renfrewshire to be the place of choice for creative businesses in Scotland and our bid for UK city of culture highlighted the breadth of creative talent across Renfrewshire.
“We know there’s a strong demand for creative spaces, which foster collaboration, and this creative hub fund will enable our creative business sector to flourish right across Renfrewshire.”
Hub businesses will receive support through Renfrewshire’s business hub InCube which has already helped more than 100 creative start-up businesses in the last four years, including 50 through InCube Creative which provides tailored support to a wide range of creative companies including artists, jewellers, graphic designers, milliners and textile experts.
Renfrewshire Council Economic Development Manager Ruth Cooper said: “We have the knowledge and expertise to support creative companies and these hubs will provide the platform for established creative businesses to grow sustainably.
“Each hub will not only see the businesses based there help one another, but also provide space for other designers to exhibit and for public workshops to inspire new creatives to realise their ambitions.
“Importantly they are business led and business managed, with our support to assist along the way and we believe this will appeal to existing businesses based in Renfrewshire and also attract more creative companies to relocate here.”
Mark Newlands, head of partnerships at Scottish Enterprise said: “Co-locating in a ‘hub’ environment is a tried and tested method of fostering collaboration and nurturing business growth.
“This latest initiative by Renfrewshire Council will not only help create valuable space for creative businesses across the Renfrewshire region, but will open up fantastic opportunities for like-minded entrepreneurs and business owners to share their knowledge, experience and networks to support greater business growth opportunities.”
The creative hubs complement Start-Up Street, which is set to open on George Street later this year, providing early stage companies with short-term office space as they make the leap into their first commercial premises.
